XM - FM Modulator E500 Sport Antenna location
10-01-2005, 12:25 PM
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XM - FM Modulator E500 Sport Antenna location
I want to install a RF Modulator so I can hook-up a Terk XM Commander. I don't know where to find the antenna lead to the radio? I have read all over this great forum and found the location is in the trunk under the carpet just behind the back seat. When looking there I found 2 cast metal boxes one looks like a computer and the other some kind of control modual but no where did I see what looked like a AM/FM antenna lead like in my 1998 e430 - Can some one help me???
10-01-2005, 09:06 PM
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'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Do the instructions for the Terk unit actually say that you have to hard-wire it to the car FM antenna? That would be unusual. The usual point of an FM modulator is to avoid hard-wiring. The FM modulator on our Delphi MyFi XM receiver transmits up to 20' or so. It also sends the FM modulator signal back up the XM antenna wire. Since our XM antenna is mounted on the back package shelf, and the FM antenna is embedded in the rear window, the FM modulator reception is very solid. I suspect that any place you mount the Terk, the car's FM antenna will pick up the Terk's FM modulator signal. But I could be wrong.
10-01-2005, 09:40 PM
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FM Modulator Hard Wire
The Terk XM Commander has to be hard wired between where the antenna wire plugs into the radio. I had to use a european adapter on my 1998 e430 to hook up the modulator but I had no problem finding the actual radio which is in the dash, Thanks for your responce... :p
10-01-2005, 11:30 PM
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'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
If you have to hard-wire the FM modulator to the FM antenna, you might as well see if you can use the Terk unit's audio line output instead. The sound quality will be much better. You don't say what year your car is, but if it's an '04 or later, it should have a line input jack in the glove box. An FM modulator transmitter is a tradeoff of convenience (no hard-wiring) for sound quality. Having to hard-wire an FM modulator defeats its whole purpose, convenience, IMHO.
10-08-2005, 10:02 AM
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I found it! Radio location...
The radio is located in the trunk behind the molded carpeted area on the left (drivers side) right below the trunk hindge. to hook up a FM modulator you will need (1) Metra 40-EU10 adapter and (1) Metra 40-EU20 adapter hope this helps someone else...
10-08-2005, 12:55 PM
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03 E55
best hook up is to use your aux port. If you don't have an aux port, Steve (MBenzNL) should be able to help you out. Sounds like you may lose radio reception if you use the radio antenna?
